Esqueleto Axial de Gallus gallus domesticus - Costelas e Esterno

Abstract

The skeleton of birds, being adapted for flight, presents distinct morphofunctional characteristics compared to mammals. In this context, it is known that the ribs (sternal and vertebral) and the developed sternum, except in ratite birds, are fundamental structures for flight, for supporting the pectoral muscles, and for protecting the organs. In domestic chickens, these bones have particularities that guarantee efficiency in movement and the breathing process. The objective of this educational video was to present and exemplify these structural differences, demonstrating their importance. This work was developed by students of the extension project "Knowing, respecting and producing birds: didactic and alternative models in the teaching and learning process", linked to the discipline Anatomy of Domestic Animals (BA065) of the Zootechnics Course at the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR). The sternum of birds is a long, flat bone of great functional importance, serving as the insertion point for the pectoral muscles responsible for wing movement. It features several projections, including the sternal carina (or keel), which increases the surface area for muscle attachment. In addition to the keel, the sternum has lateral projections that articulate with the ribs (sternal ribs). As mentioned, the ribs of the domestic chicken are divided into vertebral and sternal ribs and do not have cartilage. The vertebral ribs articulate with the thoracic vertebrae, while the sternal ribs attach to the sternum. A striking characteristic of avian ribs is the presence of the uncinate process, small bony projections facing backward that reinforce the rib cage and mechanically assist in respiration. In practice, understanding these bony projections is essential for assessing the size of birds and even nutritional aspects, since palpation of the keel is one of the parameters used to verify the bird's body condition score.